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Tell us about your collection

‘We See Creature Folk’ is a body of work which explores and illustrates several narratives through print and pattern. These stories portray social justice messages and are told through the creation of creatures and locations. Inspired heavily by both primitive and folk art; the collection supports the idea of something being created with a purpose but also being appreciated as art itself as well as having a very handcrafted feel. ‘We See Creature Folk’ is primarily aimed at children, however, each design’s purpose is multi-functioning through all ages, genders, and final functions and purpose. The printed textile collection spans further than just a fashion range aiming to work as a lifestyle range with endless possibilities for its reproduction in various products such as: ceramics, storybooks, badges, masks, costumes, mobiles and wall hangings. The relationship between shape, form, colour and figurative illustrations moulded this collection, working as an exploration of how illustration and pattern intertwine.

What were the highs and lows through creating your collection?

A really exciting moment during the creation of this collection was the inception of my concept – it was an idea that really meant something to me and something I was passionate about. That extra bit of researching meant I had an idea that I could really go for it with and I didn’t need to worry about tiring of my idea.

Something that was difficult throughout FMP was keeping going and not running out of puff, especially when it feels like you’re running out of time with so much to do. However, even though it’s a cliché, it all does come together in the end!

Another high from my project was shooting all of my fabrics for my Look book, it was so nice after all those months of working on the designs to see everything coming to life. It was also really fun to get creative with shoot ideas.

Any advice for students following in your footsteps?

Try to get at least one internship whilst at university! It does wonders for your confidence and the more you have when you leave the easier it will be to find a job as you’ll have invaluable experience!

Also, just continue working through – even though you may want to slow down or give up in a project. You only get to do it once so you may as well make the most of being at uni’ and having all the feedback – that is probably the thing I’m going to miss the most! With that in mind take as much work to your tutors as you can during tutorials. The more you have the more they can help you!

Taking inspiration from her childhood in Vancouver, final year Fashion Design Student Abigail Skrentny is able to create a collection that really shows her understanding of the freedom of childhood.

Interview by Lewis Evans

In her graduate collection, Abi studies the contrast of the ‘prep’ girl against suburban American ‘freedom’ based partly on the story of her father who grew up in suburban Chicago before moving to an English boarding School.

Further inspiration comes from films like The Florida Projectwhich explore the idea of childhood freedom and captures the essence and resilience of being a child. Abi explains that its not childhood she attempting to get across but the idea of not caring about what people think of you and doing ‘it’ anyway. Abi decided to use a minimal colour scheme of rich purple, strong green and a mixed range of pinks, partly, based on childhood pictures of snowsuits.

Abi explained that she’s inspired by real people, she prefers a quiet story compared to an extraordinary story, to some seeming boring but to her really standing out. Abi’s design process includes gathering a huge amount of her research and continuously drawing as she keeps changing and developing her ideas until she designs something that she’s proud of.

I asked Abi “Are you happy with your collection so far?”, she replied with “not yet, I always like to develop and improve my work, it’s the smaller things that I get pleasure from like sewing a perfect seem or figuring how to create something that I found quite difficult. By not being completely satisfied with your work it pushes you to work harder and helps you to overcome challenges”.

Abi’s advice to any other upcoming fashion design student is don’t be afraid of a challenge. By experimenting with different materials and techniques she is able to develop and grow as a designer. By taking her own style and spending some time on strengthening her weaknesses helps her to prepare for a future job within the fashion industry.

Three-week design project introducing basic pattern cutting, construction and deconstruction/reconstruction in order to learn the process of make and the importance of analysing and understanding garment silhouettes, shapes, details, seams and finishes.

Join the conversation and let’s consider how we can change the future for the better. Don’t wait for someone else to solve the problem – respond to the challenge and become the expert.

This event is open to staff and students of Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton and selected guests and visitors. Tickets are free and the event is all day, so drop in to see one speaker, or stay all day. Availability of seating may be limited at some of the talks.

‘There are three things we touch upon every day that greatly impact the world around us: fuel (energy), food, and fashion. The first two are now wholeheartedly studied and worked upon. It is now fashion’s turn to inform and dazzle us with what is possible, to provide the moral imperative to change every aspect of producing and purchasing our second skin.’ (Paul Hawken)

15.00 – Katie Jones, knitwear designer mixing playful aesthetics with serious ethics. Talking about the two sides of sustainable fashion that relate to her brand.

15.45 – Catherine Weetman, Director of Re-think Solutions, and author of A Circular Economy Handbook for Business and Supply Chains. Talking about fast fashion and the circular economy.

16.30 – Kate Langham, lecturer and researcher, and formally Creative Director of Interface, recognised as one of the most sustainable businesses worldwide.. Talking about Interface’s global rebranding project and the development of Mission Zero.

17.15 – Charty Durrant, ex fashion editor of Vogue, The Sunday Times, and Fashion Consultant and Ethical Fashion Expert, ending the day with a call to arms, offering some groundbreaking new solutions for fashioning the future.

Hamnett is giving critical advice to budding designers in the final hours of a five-day workshop at the Hay Festival, during which fashion students have worked to create outfits with a focus on ethical production. A wide-ranging term, “ethical” used here means consideration of environmental factors, sustainability, animal welfare, traceability, fair wages and working conditions for manufacturers to name a few.

The Just Fashion Workshop is a joint project between the Hay Festival and the Environmental Justice Foundation, supported by Levi Strauss & Co and London College of Fashion’s Centre for Sustainable Fashion.

Ten students were chosen to spend a week working with sustainable fashion experts Martina Spetlova and Jessica Mor, before presenting their work on stage at the last weekend of the Hay Festival.

Chloé is a second-year student at Falmouth University who would love to have her own flock of sheep to produce her own wool. At the workshop site, just outside Hay-on-Wye, she has put in a week’s worth of long hours to create her ensemble. One of her main fashion influences is Stella McCartney. “What I like about Stella is that it’s sustainable, and she doesn’t scream and shout about her ideas of animal welfare … she just says it should be the norm, and I like that. It’s just done.”

Chloé’s approach is different from the one taken by her fellow (Winchester School of Art) student Filipa Castilho, who is developing a new way to recycle denim. There are already organisations that break down old clothing into reusable fibres, but Filipa points out that this process is time- and energy-consuming. To shorten the recycling process, she has cut old pairs of jeans into strips, woven into the back of a new denim shirt-dress.

“Sustainability in fashion is not only about organic fibres or recycling garments,” she says. “There are many different ways to help solve a big problem. This workshop is a good opportunity to bring different approaches to the situation together, and find different perspectives on what can help.

“It’s been really lovely. I usually think a lot about equality, politics and human rights, and usually I don’t take any action. But the conversations we’ve had here made me think that even if I’m only one person, and I can’t solve the problem, if I take some action I can help in a small part – and actually do something instead of just being theoretical. If my idea was implemented in mass production, it could help a lot.”

The students had their designs modelled on stage at the Hay Festival as part of a discussion about the future of sustainable fashion with Katharine Hamnett and Dilys Williams.

Fran Heerey: This project explores the ideas surrounding a ‘Singularity’, in relation to Ray Kurzweil’s theory on the epoch system, of which he states we will have to combine our biological evolution with technological evolution in order to progress and advance into the future. This issomething that is very real within the 21st Century. As technology ever more advances, we are quickly shifting our human based responsibilities onto technology, and as a result, we are becoming governed and drawn in by technologies’ power and aesthetic appeal. Science fiction based films and books will be referenced as contextual inspiration, with in particular focus on H.R. Giger’s works which inspired Ridley Scott’s films Alien and Prometheus, as well as referencing other science fiction films and writings such as Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, Blade Runner, Robocop, Stargate, Surrogates, and Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein.

The main objectives for the project will be exploring identity, gender, beauty, and the body ‘ideal’ in relation to a biomechanical world; a world where humans are Cybernetic organisms (Cyborgs), a cross between mechanical and biological matter that is intertwined with artificial intelligence. The human body is a key element of research throughout the project, as this is where the interrelation between man and machine can really be explored and demonstrated to its fullest potential.

Fran will be graduating this year and we look forward to seeing Fran’s work in the WSA degree show in June.

Simply select the best image of your work and Tweet it with your name, age, city and add #modeconnect. Images must be tweeted before the end of April. If your profile is published on Modeconnect.com you know you’re in the competition. The overall winner will win £200 worth of Laurence King Publishing books. More details via modeconnect.com/fashion-competition

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Make Future

This is the Winchester School of Art BA (Hons) Fashion & Textile Design Blog where we showcase student work, projects and events we create or participate in.
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